Protesters block roads in Ctg, clash with police over Imam Rais Uddin’s death

Protesters blocked roads across Chattogram city and the Dhaka–Chattogram highway today (5 May) and clashed with police, demanding justice for the death of Maulana Muhammad Rais Uddin, former president of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Sena's Dhaka unit and an imam.

The blockade was part of a nationwide call for protests following the death of Rais, who was allegedly tied to a tree and tortured by locals on 27 April in Gazipur, before being handed over to the police. He died early the next day after being sent to jail by a court.

Following his death, Sunni revivalist movement followers, including Bangladesh Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Sena, the student wing of Bangladesh Islami Front, have been holding protests demanding the arrest and punishment of those responsible for the killing of Rais.

Leaders and activists of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Bangladesh and Islami Chhatra Sena blocked roads in various areas of the city, including Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, AK Khan, Oxygen, Gate-2, GEC, Notun Bridge, and Saltgola Crossing, at around 9:30am as part of their pre-announced programme.

At the Muradpur intersection, a group of protesters burned tires and blocked the road, chanting slogans and protesting against the killing of Rais. This led to a halt in vehicular movement on both sides of the road, as reported by our correspondent from the scene.

At around 10:30am, police requested the protesters to move away from the intersection. However, the protesters refused to listen. After 10 minutes, tear gas shells and sound grenades were fired at the protesters. They were chased and dispersed.

After being chased, a section of the protesters entered the Muradpur-Panchlaish road, and another section entered the Muradpur-Oxygen road on the opposite side, as well as various markets and alleys nearby.

Among them, the protesters who took positions on Panchlaish Mirzarpur and Oxygen-Hathazari roads hurled bricks and stones at the police. The police retaliated with tear gas and sound grenades.

It could not be immediately confirmed whether there were any casualties from the clashes.

At around 11am, army personnel reached Muradpur intersection and joined the police in dispersing the protesters. At one stage, the police searched the alleys and surrounding markets and detained several people, some of whom were seen being taken away in a police vehicle.

"They have been blocking the road since morning. We tried to convince them to move away from the road. But when they did not move away from the road, police charged with batons on the orders of senior officers to alleviate the suffering of the general public. So far, 10 people have been arrested in this incident," said Panchlaish police station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Solaiman.

Protests also spread to Madam Bibir Hat in Sitakunda on the Dhaka–Chittagong highway, causing long traffic tailbacks. By 4pm, traffic had returned to normal.

Additional protests were reported in the surrounding upazilas, including Hathazari, Rangunia, Raozan, Fatikchari, Anwara, Boalkhali, Patiya, Banshkhali, Chandanaish, Satkania, and Lohagara.

Rais Uddin, who was the imam and khatib of the Akhladul Jame Mosque in Haidarabad area in Gazipur's Pubail, was accused of sexually violating a male madrasah student and allegedly drugging and sexually abusing other young boys. 

He was reportedly tied to a tree and beaten by locals before being handed over to the police on 27 April. He died in the early hours of 28 April after being sent to jail by a court.

Chhatra Sena and activists of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat have held several programmes in recent days, including protests and human chains in different parts of the country, demanding justice for the death of Rais. Yesterday's road blockade in Chattogram was part of their continued demand for justice.